1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of devices for holding a segment of a strip of material on which has been formed a flexible beam lead and to which lead an integrated circuit chip is bonded. The fixture, or holder, is dimensioned to hold one segment of a film strip. Once a segment is attached to, or held by, the fixture, the fixture protects the chip and its lead frame from being damaged during subsequent manufacturing steps but permits the chip and a portion of its lead frame to be removed from the segment while the segment is held by the fixture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The development of integrated circuit chips, particularly medium and large scale integrated circuit chips, has created a need for improved manufacturing processes which lend themselves to automating the connecting of conductive flexible leads of a lead frame to an integrated circuit (IC) chip and of such chips and part of their lead frame to substrates or into packages to connect the chips into electrical circuits. It is known to use a relatively long tapelike carrier, similar to standard motion picture film, to which is bonded a thin metallic layer of a suitable electrical conductor such as copper, nickel, or aluminum. The metallic layer can be formed into a lead frame of a desired configuration by a conventional photoetching process. Subsequently, IC chips are bonded to the lead frames. The prior art also teaches excising a chip and a portion of its lead frame directly from a substantially continuous strip of such film or tape. The length of such strips is such that to facilitate handling and shipping. The strips can be wound on reels in a similar manner as motion picture film. For more information concerning the prior art, reference is made to an article by Lyman, J., Special Report: Film Carriers Star in High-Volume IC Production in Electronics Vol. 48, No. 26, p. 61-68, Dec. 25, 1975; and an article by Dehaine, G. and Kurzwich, K., Tape Automated Bonding Moving into Production in Solid State Technology, Vol. 18, No. 10, p. 46-52, Oct., 1975.